Halal Cosmetics Adoption among Young Muslim Consumers: A Case Study in Kulim, Kedah

Abstract

Cosmetic industry has been growing rapidly over the years. New products were introduced in the market, and Malaysia is one of the countries that successfully produces Halal cosmetics. According to the Future of World Religions: Populations Growth Projections 2010–2050, it is expected that the global Muslim population would increase by 80% in 2050, compared to 2010 which is 1.5 billion. It indicates that there is an increment of demand for Halal products across the globe. The use of Muslim micro-influencers to endorse Halal cosmetics facilitates firms in attracting the young Muslim consumers as these micro-influencers are known to engage better young consumers through their social media postings. This provides great business opportunities for manufacturers to invest in Halal cosmetics. In order for a product to be certified Halal, it must undergo Halal inspection and testing of rigorous manufacturing facilities based on Malaysian standard MS2200: 2008 and Halal certification procedure manual. False information on Halal status of products in the market created doubt and anxiety among Muslim consumers to buy Halal products. This study tries to discover the factors that could influence Halal cosmetics adoption among young Muslim consumers in Kulim, Kedah. Primary data were used in this study, and 300 sets of questionnaires were distributed to respondents who live in the designated research area. The study found that product characteristics and religious beliefs were significant in Halal cosmetics adoption, whilst social influence and consumer innovative have least influence on the dependent variable.